Copy of Minot Daily News Story (link)

Beavers fall short - Jamestown College ends Minot State's six-game winning streak

By MICHAEL LINNELL, Sports Editor mlinnell@hotmail.com

Chris Bieri/MDN Minot State University senior wide receiver Chauncy Hendershot tries to break a tackle from Jamestown College's Gary Thomas (18) and an unknown Jimmies defender during the final minutes of Saturday's Dakota Athletic Conference football game at Herb Parker Stadium.

It certainly lived up to all the advance billing.

The final outcome was in doubt until Minot State University quarterback Jon Meier's final desperation pass was tipped and then intercepted by Jamestown College's Jesse Vote with 30 seconds remaining.

“This is the second time we have been in a back and forth type of game,” JC head coach Tom Dosch said. “There isn't much separating these two.”

The 12th ranked Jimmies scored nine points against the wind in the fourth quarter to build a 19-7 lead and then held off the No. 23 ranked Beavers, earning a share of the Dakota Athletic Conference title with a 19-14 win Saturday at Herb Parker Stadium.

The Beavers (6-1 DAC, 6-4 overall) and Jimmies (6-1 DAC, 9-1 overall) share the title with Black Hills State, who defeated Valley City State 52-0 to go 6-1.

“It is kind of hollow, that is a good word for it,” MSU head coach Paul Rudolph said. “You know, probably someday we will be able to look back and be happy about winning a share. I think we surpassed expectations and surprised some people around here, but it is still pretty hollow.”

Minot State had its chances both down the stretch and during the game. MSU drove inside the Jamestown 35 seven times, only to have two touchdowns to show for the effort. MSU threw an interception in the end zone on a third-and-goal from the 4 in the first half and had a field goal attempt blocked after a drive stalled on the JC 10 in the fourth quarter.

“We need to get points when we get inside the 20,” Rudolph said.

JC's Michael Cudworth and Craig Weber had the biggest play for JC in the second half. Cudworth, the team's third-string quarterback, hit Weber for a 14-yard touchdown with 5:45 remaining the in the game. Cudworth, a junior from Sheyenne, was lined up as a wide receiver and took a lateral pass from JC starting quarterback Josh Kittell and then found a wide open Weber to put the Jimmies up 19-7. Kittell and Cudworth were two of the four Jimmies' players to throw at least one pass in the game.

“Whatever gets the job done,” Kittell said of multiple JC quarterbacks throwing the football. “Minot is a heck of a team, the best team we have played all year. It certainly feels good to get a win here.”

Kittell, a junior from Garrison, was sharp overall as he threw for 286 yards and a score. He found Brandon Judy on a 44-yard passing touchdown in the second quarter to even the game at seven. On the play, Kittell eluded a couple of would-be MSU defenders before finding Judy deep down field.

“We saw something on the backside coverage down field,” Kittell said. “I saw Brandon and he ran a great route. I had to get my footing a little.”

“Kittell was good. He did a good job of creating things out of the pocket,” Rudolph said. “But the line did a great job of giving him time. We couldn't get consistent pressure on him.”

A gusty west wind changed the complexity of the game as the two teams played a field position game early on. MSU was the first to take advantage of the wind as they forced the Jimmies into a fourth down from the JC 27 and, after a poor Tanner Kelting punt, took over at the MSU 37. Four plays later junior Nick Banks rumbled in from 12 yards out, breaking multiple tackles along the way.

“What can I say, he was solid again for us,” Rudolph said. “He brings so much energy to this team.”

Banks finished with 197 yards on 34 carries in the game and had multiple runs where the majority of yards came after the initial contact.

“Banks is a very good runner,” Dosch said. “He runs hard. We didn't do a very good job of tackling him, especially in the first half, but a lot of that is the way he runs.”

The Beavers had a chance to take both a lead and momentum into the second half, but Brian Mistro intercepted a tipped ball in the back of the end zone. Meier appeared to be throwing the ball away, but MSU receiver Julius Ceasar leaped up to get a hand on the ball — nearly pulling off the acrobatic catch — before Mistro pulled in the interception.

“That was a big play,” Rudolph said. “We thought we did a good job of going into the wind and should of had points there.”

JC took its first lead at 10-7 on a 24-yard field goal by Bryan Loweree and extended it to 13-7 on a 22-yard field goal by Loweree early in the fourth quarter. While Dosch was happy with the points, he wasn't happy with leaving touchdowns on the field.

“We got the field goals, but you look up and its only a six-point game,” he said. “We lead 13-7, but seven plus seven is 14 and that is all Minot needed. You just don't know how many of those opportunites you are going to get.

“The two score lead was huge.”

MSU had a chance to take that 14-13 lead that Dosch mentioned as they drove to the JC 10, mainly behind Banks' off-tackle runs, but settled for a 27-yard, Michael Fox field goal attempt. The Beavers came up empty, however, as Cody Sailer blocked the kick. JC drove for the eventual game-winning score on the ensuing drive.

JC will wait to see who their first-round opponent will be and where the game is played in the NAIA playoffs.

“The program has come a long way since I got here,” Kittell said. “I think we've been on a steady rise and are getting better and better. We are looking forward to proving the naysayers about the DAC.”